Lijiang includes the heritage site of Lijiang Ancient Town as well as picturesque nearby surroundings. In 1998, Lijiang Ancient Town was inscribed into the World Heritage List by the World Heritage Commission of the UNESCO. The Commission called it 'an exceptional ancient town set in a dramatic landscape which represents the harmonious fusion of different cultural traditions to produce an urban landscape of outstanding quality.'

Lijiang is the ideal destination for nature lovers and anyone interested in ancient people groups and their customs. Lijiang is located within the northwest part of Yunnan Province, in the southeastern part of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the northwestern part of Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau.

Location: between 99° 23' - 101° 31' east longitude and 25° 59' - 27° 56' north latitude, and northwest of Yunnan province, middle reaches of Jinsha River

Area: 7,485 square kilometers

Population: 1.02 million